Thursday, December 6, 2012

Lorena Gonzalez To Run For State Assembly

Elected Officials and Business Leaders Provide Early Support for Pro-Jobs Democrat’s Campaign for Assembly District 80 in South San Diego County

San Diego, CA -- (Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012) -- Working families advocate Lorena Gonzalez will run for the 80th State Assembly District, vowing to seek the seat once it is vacated by the current assembly member, she announced this evening.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, Congressman-elect Juan Vargas and State Assemblyman Ben Hueso join several Democratic, Republican and independent elected officials, business advocates and community leaders in the 80th District who have already endorsed Lorena. Her election may come as early as Spring 2012.

“I’ve hammered out tough compromises between business and workers, between teachers and our school board, and between developers and environmentalists by putting practicality ahead of ideology. That approach worked in San Diego County and it will work in Sacramento. Extremism doesn't work. Pragmatic problem-solving does," Gonzalez said.

Lorena serves as the chief executive of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, an advocacy organization that represents 200,000 local union workers in the region.

As Secretary-Treasurer of the Labor Council, Lorena led successful campaigns for living wage agreements, local hiring preferences and increased education funding for San Diego County workers and their families.

“Respect for working families means respect for their money. Unions negotiate wages and benefits but nothing happens until union members vote. I think that principle applies to taxpayers," she said.

The 80th Assembly District, currently represented by Assemblyman Hueso, includes Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach and the San Diego neighborhoods of San Ysidro, City Heights, Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, Otay Mesa, Paradise Hills and other southern areas of the city.

Lorena will seek election as early as this year if Assemblyman Hueso is elected to the State Senate in a special election this spring or as late as 2016 if he vacates the seat because of term limits.

Early Support for LorenaLorena has received endorsements from a variety of leaders representing the district, including Democrats, Republicans and independents:

• San Diego Mayor Bob Filner• U.S. Congressman-elect Juan Vargas• Assemblyman Ben Hueso• State Senator Marty Block• San Diego City Councilman David Alvarez• San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald• National City Mayor Ron Morrison• Chula Vista City Councilwoman Mary Salas• Chula Vista City Councilwoman Pamela Bensoussan• National City Vice Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis• National City Councilwoman Mona Rios• San Diego Unified School Board President John Lee Evans• San Diego Unified School Board Member Richard Barrera• San Diego Unified School Board Member Kevin Beiser• San Diego Unified School Board Member Scott Barnett• San Diego Unified School Board Member-elect Marne Foster• Southwestern College Board President Norma Hernandez• Southwestern College Board Vice President Humberto Peraza• Southwestern College Board Member Tim Nader• Southwestern College Board Member Terri Valladolid• San Diego Community College Board Trustee Peter Zschiesche• South Bay Irrigation District Board Member Jose Preciado• Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante (retired)• State Senator Christine Kehoe (retired)• Imperial Beach Mayor Diane Rose (retired)• San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce* CEO and San Ysidro School Board Vice President Jason Wells• San Diego Economic Development Corp.* CEO Mark Cafferty• Former San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce* Chairman Mel Katz• Incoming Downtown San Diego Partnership* Chairman Keith Jones(Partial list)* indicates endorsement by the individual listed only. Organization is used for identification purposes only and does not indicate an endorsement by that organization.

About LorenaThe daughter of an immigrant farmworker and a nurse, Lorena learned the value of hard work and determination at an early age. After graduating from Vista High School in San Diego County, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Stanford University, a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University and a Law Degree from UCLA.

Upon her election to the Labor Council, Lorena became the first woman and first person of color to serve as head of the Labor Council since the organization’s inception in 1891.

Prior to coming to the Labor Council, Lorena worked as the Senior Advisor to California’s Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante. She served as a consultant to the Commission on Economic Development, and was the Lt. Governor’s principal advisor on policy issues dealing with labor, the environment, energy and infrastructure. Lorena was also the Lt. Governor’s appointee to the California State Lands Commission from 2000 to 2006 and served as San Diego City Councilman Ben Hueso's alternate to the Coastal Commission in 2007 and 2008.

Lorena serves on the boards of directors of the United Way of San Diego County, the California Labor Federation, the Center on Policy Initiatives and the Planning and Conservation League.

Nonetheless, Lorena’s most cherished title is that of mother. She lives in San Diego's Sherman Heights neighborhood with her two children – Tierra and Antonio.